Welcome to the Morin Region!
by VibraKnife
Summary: Pokémon Trainers Shadow and VK have set off on their journey into the mysterious Morin Region! (Point of view changes between VK and Shadow. Odd Chapters - Shadow, Even Chapters - VK. Prologue is in Shadow's point of view.)
1. Prologue: Fate is Twisted

**Shadow-**

I glanced over the ledge, eyes, drifting from detail to detail. I stepped closer.

_This is it_, I thought to myself, _No turning back now._

One step after another, I finally found myself on the edge of this towering cliff. **Mt. Grena**. I wonder how the trainers down there would react if I just landed in front of them. Would they run out of fear of being pinned for murder? Or would they just stand there, wondering what had driven me so far?

"Shadow? Where are you?"

Great, I thought, Of all of the people, he's the one leading the 'rescue squad'.

"Shadow, c'mon, just- oh no…"

I looked over my shoulder. VK was standing there, as much of a nervous wreck as he usually is. He looked over at the Pokèballs sitting on the ground next to him. My Pokèballs. Only five were there. That was all I had.

Now, I had turned to face him completely. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. It's all his fault. He charged head first, _He_ got me here. He stepped forward, so I stepped away. One last step was all I needed to plummet down to my grim fate. He grabbed a Pokèball off of his belt, ready to send out one of his partners to save me.

I didn't give him the chance.

It was a free fall. If I was going to go out, I figured I would rather enjoy my last moments. I remembered everything that had gotten me here. That stupid, naive kid from two years ago, dying to have her first Pokémon.

That stupid, naive kid who would tackle any challenge head on, and, with the help of her friends, she would always come out on top.

That stupid, naive kid who saved the world from an organization more ruthless than anything she had ever seen.

That stupid, naive kid who just fell off of a cliff.


	2. Chapter 1: The Pokémon Professor

**Shadow-**

Today's the day. My whole life has been leading up to this one precise moment. My very first Pokémon.

I get three choices. Unlike in most regions, where the three starters are a Fire, Water, and Grass type, in the Morin region, the starters are Dark, Psychic, and Fighting types. Unlike most others, I know who I'm choosing. I could get a Munna, or even a Zorua, but I have something better in mind.

After saying my farewells, I left my mother's house. The thought of leaving was a little scary, but I was excited. I finally get to go on the journey of my dreams. I hopped on my bike and raced toward the Professor's Laboratory.

Once arriving, I found that I wouldn't be the only one starting my journey today. Two boys were outside of the lab, arguing over who would become the better trainer. One boy had long, dark hair covering one side of his face, with the other half of his hair short. He was wearing blue jeans, a blue shirt, and a red hat, typical for a beginner trainer. The other boy, however, wore full-black clothing, no hat, and had a full head of blonde hair.

The black-haired boy turned to face me. He grinned. Upon seeing his expression, the other boy turned as well. They both walked up to me, expecting a hello. Shy as I am, I couldn't muster a hello, so I just smiled and waved. Before either of the two could wave back, the Professor stepped out.

Professor Gary Oak, the son of the infamous Professor Oak of Kanto, waved the three of us into the laboratory. Filled with excitement, I rushed past the other two, making sure that I got my pick.


	3. Chapter 2: A Journey Begins

**VK-**

She walked up to Professor Oak with pleading eyes. It was obvious; she didn't want either of us to take her starter. Alec straightened out and began walking toward Oak and the stranger, clearly starting her journey today.

"Well then, it appears like I'm getting cleaned out of starters today!" the young professor said, wholeheartedly. He looked to be about 20-24 years old, still enjoying small journeys here and there. "As you know, my job is to get you three ready for your journey. So, enough talk. Who wants to see their starter Pokémon?"

The professor sent out the three Pokémon, and left it up to us to decide. Without a moment of hesitation, Alec sprung for the Munna. He had been talking about it for the past few months. "Exhaustion is everything in a battle. If I get a Munna, I can use it to my advantage!" he would always say. I disagreed. I always thought that a Munna wouldn't work well for me.

"Ah, so Munna's your choice! What's your name?"  
"Alec, sir."  
"Nice to meet you, Alec. Here's your Pokédex, standard issue for any trainer. I remember when these were rare… it's been a long time since then. Here is Munna's Pokèball, as well as five more. Remember, you can only have six Pokémon with you at once, so choose carefully."  
"Yes sir. Thank you!"

With that, he left. He just ran right out, not concerned with what was next. The girl let out a sigh of relief. Obviously, she was glad that her choice wasn't taken.

I approached the Pokémon carefully. There were two left: a Zorua and a Riolu. The Riolu approached me quickly, obviously excited for the chance to go on a journey with someone. The Zorua, however, just say back, looking down at the ground. It looked like something was bothering it, so I walked up to it slowly.

"Hi," I said cautiously. It looked up at me, staring at me in bewilderment. "I'm VK. Do you want to go on an adventure with me?" The Zorua's eyes lit up. It was clear now that it was excited.

"So you're picking Zorua? Poor Zorua has been turned down by a lot of trainers. It's nice to see someone it's warmed up to. VK, was it? Here's Zorua's Pokèball, as well as your Pokédex and your other five Pokèballs. Be safe on your journey!"  
"Thank you professor! I will!"

Just then, a man burst through the door. "Oak, I need your help!"

"Professor Pine- what's wrong?"

Professor Pine. I couldn't move. It was rare that both of them would end up in the same room together. They were good friends, but they both had their jobs to attend to, so they usually stuck to their respective islands of the region.

"Gary, come with me. A young man outside was trying to catch one of the wild Pokémon, but he ended up angering it. It's on a warpath, and that boy is the only thing keeping it from attacking the town!"

"I'm sorry, but I have to go. Your Pokédex and gear are on the table when you're ready, young lady. Enjoy your journey!" With that, the two professors were off, leaving me behind with the girl and her Riolu, the only one left.

I slowly walked over to the girl, who constantly looked back and forth from the door and her Pokémon. She looked torn, so I did something stupid to try and get her mind off of what was happening.

"Wanna battle?"


	4. Chapter 3: Challenge Accepted

**Shadow-**

"Wanna battle?"

Is this kid out of his mind? I'm not even a trainer yet, and this "VK" is challenging me to a battle.

"Clearly, you didn't see what just happened."  
"Of course I did. I set it up."

This kid is out of his mind. Who in their right mind would ever consider this? Clearly, this kid isn't in the right mindset. He's starting his journey, and this is the first thing he did?

"Don't worry, it's nothing big. My father is friends with Professor Pine. I asked a favor of him, and he pulled it off. Originally, I was gonna battle Alec, but I guess not. So, you up for it?"

I stopped. The professor did tell me that everything was on the table for me to start. All it took was the guts to pick up the Pokèball.

Several minutes passed. Eventually, I looked away to glance at the Riolu. _My_ Riolu. It nodded slightly, as though it knew we were about to have our first battle.

"Let's do this."

—•—•—•—•—

The battle began like the ones I saw on TV. It was him versus me. It should've been one-sided: Dark types are weak to Fighting types. It was far from it.

It began easily enough. Tackle, Growl, Tackle, Growl. Eventually, it got pretty boring. Riolu wasn't doing much damage, and VK's Zorua wasn't really doing anything to stop Riolu. Finally, VK did something, but not what I had expected. He raised his hand up to his ear, and said four simple words:

"Can you hear me?"

His Zorua started yipping, as though it was talking to him. Riolu and I just stared in amazement, before remembering that we were still battling. Before Riolu could move, however, dark tentacles shot out of the ground, pinning Riolu down. It wasn't anything I had ever seen in a battle before, and I had a feeling it wouldn't be the last.

The tides had turned, with Zorua hitting Riolu constantly with its Scratch attack, all the while, Riolu being trapped against the ground, held there by the slenderous, black tentacles protruding from the ground. My heart raced. How am I going to win? There's no beating this thing, is there?

I looked up at the situation, and saw something amazing. Riolu swung one of its arms to fend off a tentacle, and its arm went straight through it. That's when I remembered Zorua's ability.

"Riolu, get up! It's fake!"

It was too late. One more well-placed Scratch ended it all. I lost my very first battle.

—•—•—•—•—

Instead of walking up to me, VK walked up to Riolu, who was still on the ground.

"Great fight, little guy. You gave us a run for our money!"

Riolu smiled, and than began speaking to him. I didn't have a clue what it was saying, but clearly, VK did.

"Thank you! Just keep training, little guy. Next time, we'll have to see how much tougher you are!"

VK then stood up and walked over to me. I almost had forgotten that I was even there. For a moment, it felt like I was just watching a show on TV.

"C- congrats."

I was shaking all over. I was an embarrassment to my Pokémon. I was a sad excuse for a trainer.

Before I could stop myself, I found myself continuing to talk, as though I knew this guy.

"Do you mind if I ask a question? How did you do it?"  
"The battle? My father has a Zoroark, and-"  
"No, talking to your Zorua and my Riolu."

The room went silent for a moment, before he burst into laughter.

"I'm not talking to the Pokémon. They're talking to me. Believe me when I say that Riolu already looks up to you as a trainer."

With that, he turned away. I saw something from underneath his black hair shine for a split second, right by his ear, but then it was gone.

"By the way, I'm VK."  
"Sh-Shadow."  
"I hope we meet again, Shadow."

With that, he was gone, too, leaving me alone in the now dark laboratory. Just who is this kid?

—•—•—•—•—

**Outside of the lab, peering through the window, a hooded figure observed the events inside the building.**

**"Huh. I guess they are ready. I should tell the other Gym Leaders. They'll want to hear this."**


	5. Chapter 4: A Strange Follower

**VK-**

I know there's someone watching. I just don't know who.

It's been two weeks since my journey began, and I haven't seen Alec or Shadow since that day.

I recently caught my first Pokémon. Technically, it was my second Pokémon on the team, but the first one I had caught. It was an Eevee, slightly stronger than Zorua, but equally as excited to be on an adventure.

I had contacted Professor Oak Jr. to apologize for what had happened, but no matter what I tried to say, he seemed convinced that when Pine told him the truth, he was trying to cover up a strong Pokémon from Gary's 'watchful eyes'.

Now I was on route for the first gym. Versine City seemed to be a relatively easy path, and while on it, I made some new friends, one of which decided to travel with me on my journey.

All I knew about my new companion Ariana was that she hated bug types, and that she had a Shinx and Vulpix with her when we joined up. The rest of this girl was a mystery.

Ariana constantly took interest in my 'ability to talk to Pokémon', although I did lead her off of my trail for a little while with a Double Battle between the two of us.

Ariana is always running from one place to another, too busy to notice the details that would give away a follower. Alec was out of the question; he had set out ahead of me, and from what Oak told me, he already was on his way to Gensinge to face Dedric, 'The Ladies Man on Fire'.

Shadow is out of the question as well. There are too many clues pointing to a young man, approximately 19 years old. I don't know many people who fit the title, but from what I hear, the gym leaders have already caught wind of two powerful trainers who left the professor's laboratory 2 weeks ago.

After finally arriving in Verisine, I was greeted by a familiar face, as well as two not-so-familiar ones.

Shadow was standing with two boys who appeared to both be working at the Unova fair, which takes place year-round to celebrate the Unova region's involvement with Miron's creation.

The boys, whom I later discovered were named Jonathan and Colin, both mentioned the fair, and told us that they could give a behind-the-scenes tour, and a chance to meet Professor Juniper, a good friend of Professor Pine.

Ariana instantly jumped at the opportunity, and she walked away with the two boys to head to the fair.

The two of us that remained were silent for a few minutes. Shadow spoke first.

"So, how's the journey been so far?"  
"Pretty good. I caught an Eevee, and my Pokémon and I have been training for days to get ready for Manuel."  
"Isn't Manuel the Electric type gym leader?"

After ten minutes of small talk, I saw something, or rather, someone move out of the corner of my eye. I turned around and began chasing after the figure, leaving Shadow standing alone where everyone had gathered.

I followed the figure into an alleyway, but before I could stop it, it had climbed up the side of a building and escaped. Whoever's been following me is incredibly fast. Catching them isn't going to be easy.

—•—•—•—•—

**I almost got caught today. I'll have to be more careful in the future. I wonder if the information I have is enough to head back to the gym, or if I need to get a little closer to these two to get any tricks I need. I'll keep anyone who's out there posted.**

**Sincerely,  
-The Hidden Are Not The Meek**


	6. Chapter 5: Manuel, DJ with Power

**Shadow-**

"Here we are… the Verisine gym!"

It didn't look much like a gym. It looked more like a dance club, to be honest. The place looked to be rather busy, with plenty of people walking in, and very few walking out.

VK and I stood there, listening to our 'tour guides' Colin and Jonathan as they continued to tell us each tiny detail about the gym.

"Hey, what about Manuel? Is there anything special about him?"  
"Huh? Oh, Manuel is a DJ. He mixes music live on stage and everything. Nothing can be cooler than that!"

Colin began to go on and on about Manuel, and how 'amazing' he was. I began to walk towards the entrance, when an usher stopped me.

"Name please."

Name? Why would they need my name? Before I could stop him, VK opened his mouth.

"That's Shadow, and I'm VK."  
"Well then, 'VK', you aren't on the list. Neither of you are."

'List'? What kind of gym was this, anyways?

"W-"

I stopped myself. If this wasn't actually the gym, the last thing I wanted to do was-

"We're here to challenge the gym, sir!"

I covered my face. I just made a fool of myself in front of everyone, VK included.

"A battle? Oh, I think we can arrange something…"

The usher finally let us in to the noisy club, but no sooner did we enter than the entire crowd fell silent as an announcement came through the speakers.

"Ladies and Gentleman, never have we been so lucky as to have TWO challengers in one go! Please welcome the challengers to the Verisine City Gym!"

The crowd returned to their noisy state, but instead of talking, they were all cheering our names. What did I get myself into?


	7. Chapter 6: Battle of Thunderous Beats!

**VK-**

Shadow and I were standing in front of a sea of people, all cheering either us or the gym leader. It was odd, seeing as this was an official gym battle. The screen on stage continued to flash our names for the crowd. Just then, the usher from before grabbed us and pulled us into one of the back rooms.

"Listen up, you two. You will each be allowed to use two Pokémon against Manuel. Choose your Pokémon, and choose who goes first. Be out in five minutes."

Shadow and I each only had two Pokémon, so the idea of choosing was out of the question.

"VK, you can go first."  
"You sure you don't want the first round?"  
"Age before beauty, right?"

I couldn't stop myself from bursting out into laughter. After all, if we started our journeys on the same day, than we shared a birthday.

—•—•—•—•—

"Please welcome our first challenger, VK!"

The crowd roared in excitement. I knew that this could only go one way. I sent out Eevee first; Eevee was stronger than Zorua and would help me assess the situation a bit better.

Finally, the gym leader emerged from the other side of the stage. He didn't look like he was ready to battle, which seemed to be my only advantage. The crowd grew even louder as he appeared on stage.

His first Pokémon was a Voltorb. Easy pickings. The match might be easier than I thought. However, there was no way for me to understand what it was saying. My device was having some interference in the club, possibly due to the extreme levels of sound.

"Good luck, VK."  
"Thank you. Good luck to you, too."

With that, the once bustling crowd grew silent. Finally, a chance to hear what that Voltorb has to say.

"Voltorb, Sonic Boom!"

With that, the battle had begun. Eevee dodged attack after attack, constantly avoiding a hit from Sonic Boom or Thunder. Eventually, Eevee got tired to the point where most of the attacks were landing. Eevee probably wouldn't last much longer.

"Eevee, Pain Split!"

For the first time since battle had began, the crowd grew silent. An Eevee that knew Pain Split? Something seemed off.

I had noticed this when I caught it. Using the device in my ear, I was able to talk to it, and ask it a few questions. What I found was interesting. The first thing my Eevee remembers was waking up next to a broken Pokèball.

Pain Split was the only move that Eevee shouldn't have known. It knew Tackle, Quick Attack, Growl, and, of course, Pain Split. With the playing field evened out, I had my chance to throw one final hit.

"Eevee, use Quick Atta-  
"Self Destruct!"

Two down for the price of one. It was up to Zorua. It all relied on what his second Pokémon was.

"Go, Jolteon!"

Jolteon. The fastest Eeveelution. This wouldn't be easy like my battle against Shadow was. I would have to rely on Zorua's illusions to win again.

"Jolteon, Thunder!"

Zorua dodged attacks like usual, avoiding an up-front conflict. Zorua' Leer and Growl attacks drained away the chance for a failure up close. Finally, Zorua moved in to use Bite.

"Jolteon, Extremespeed!

That brought Jolteon right into our trap. First, Zorua used Bite, like we had planned. Next, Zorua's ability kicked in, creating a dark box around the battle. This prevented Manuel from calling the shots accurately. Unfortunately, I couldn't either, but Zorua was still in control of the situation as long as it didn't get hit again.

The judge and the crowd waited patiently until the illusion disappeared. When it did, Zorua was the only one standing. I had just won my first gym badge.


	8. Chapter 7: A Forfeit Victory?

**Shadow-**

I watched on the screen as the black box around the two Pokémon vanished, with only his Zorua standing. He made the battle look easy, but I knew it would be a challenge.

The usher approached me. "Get ready, young lady. You're up next." What was only two minutes felt like two seconds. As VK walked past me, badge in hand, he muttered the words "Good luck," and left.

I had one chance to show what I was all about. If I lost in front of all of these people, there would be no way I could face the gym leader again. It was up to Riolu and my new Pokémon, Mismagius, to win the battle.

I walked out on to the stage to find Manuel laughing into a microphone. "Man, I just can't seem to get a break! The last thing I need is a three-loss-streak! What do you think?" The crowd roared in agreement. Everyone was ready to see me lose. There was no way I could give them that pleasure.

The battle was smooth. First, his Jolteon, last, his Voltorb. He had taken out Riolu with a well-timed Sonic Boom, leaving just my Mismagius. The odds were against me. Mismagius was still weak, and wasn't ready for a gym battle, but I had no other option.

Before I knew it, Manuel called out an attack. The last attack I could've anticipated.

"Voltorb, Self Destruct!"

The room flashed a bright white as Voltorb went down, doing nothing to my Ghost type Mismagius.

Everyone was dead silent. No one dared say a thing. Manuel looked down for a moment, recalled Voltorb, and clenched his fist. Next thing I knew, he was in hysterics, driving the entire audience laughing with him. Even I began to laugh.

"Of all of the things to take me down, who'd have thought it would've been myself? I guess I need to work on my type match ups!"

He approached me, and placed the badge in my hand.

"I've never enjoyed a battle quite like that. Thank you. If anything, I hope I can battle you again to make up for your easy victory!"

It was all over. The crowd dispersed, resuming the casual dance-club-like behavior.

I stood on stage, unable to move. I felt so many things at once. Anger, guilt, happiness, sadness… did I even deserve to hold the badge?

**Hello, everyone, VibraKnife here! I'm going to start putting these footnote-thingies at the end of my chapters. I have the next few chapters ready, and I'll be putting them up as well. Next chapter's short, but things are going to get interesting.**

**VibraKnife - So much of a fan of Pixel Katana that he just HAD to put a title at the end.**


	9. Chapter 8: Setting Sail

**VK-**

It's always been easy to forget that the region is made up of four islands. The main island is to the south, where the ever infamous Estrada City Gym lies, while to the east lies Silver Wing City as well as my next destination: Gensinge City.

Gensinge is a shell of its former self. The gym leader there runs the largest company in the region, the Pokéball Manufacturing Company. He's done nothing about the crime in the city, and has sat back, watching the chaos and observing the trainers who fight for their lives, day after day. I don't plan on staying for long.

Seeing Shadow walking out of the gym in Verisine… I don't remember anything quite like it. She was holding the badge, but something was wrong. She held her gaze low, staring at the pavement. Without acknowledging me or the others, she walked over to the Pokémon center.

Granted, it's been a few days, so she's over it, but she still seems different. It's as though she doesn't want to win the same way again. We all watched it: Manuel made the call to use Self Destruct, forfeiting the match. I've just been trying to avoid the topic as much as possible.

From what I've been hearing, we'll be sailing to Silver Wing City in the morning. I would much prefer heading to Gensinge by plane and risk being blown out of the sky. If I see her anywhere in the city, I won't be able to escape. I'll have to face her eventually, though. She's still the gym leader.

***yawn* Well, thanks to our ever-boring tactition/protagonist, we are setting sail with the characters to get to the second gym! There will be (short-lived) goodbyes. There will be battles (with incredibly pompous rivals [or just rival]). There will be a 17-year-old chick that pisses VK off (way too much). All of that in the next chapter!**

**VibraKnife - Makes poor grammar weep silently.**


	10. Chapter 9: Ocean Heist!

**Shadow-**

Darkness. All I can see is darkness. I hear two people on either side of me, talking about what to do. VK's shaking; he's just as terrified as me.

After saying goodbye to Ariana, Colin, and Jonathan (they stayed behind to do some training so that they could face Manuel too), VK and I boarded a ship to head to Silver Wing City.

The last person we expected to see was VK's friend, Alec.

While wandering the deck, I came across Alec, who was training against other shipmates, whom were all failing to beat him. Before I could call VK over, though, he challenged me to a battle. One on one. His Munna versus my Riolu. Of course, I lost, and he got to stand triumphant above me as well as the other shipmates.

Finally, VK walked over, and challenged Alec before he could do the same. They both sent out their Pokémon.

That's when the boat shook.

A few of us looked over the railing to find a group of men and women climbing aboard. All of them were wearing red and black clothing, and had the letter 'E' painted on their speedboat.

Everyone panicked, knocking me down on the ground, along with VK and Alec getting knocked over as well. The next thing I knew, I was in a small room, sitting in a chair beside VK and Alec.

The two voices were nearing, one male, one female. As they got closer, VK stopped shaking. Our blindfolds were pulled off, and we were face-to-face with a girl who looked to be about 17. VK wasn't happy at all.

"Well, you certainly were lucky we found you when we did. We went in with the police and found you three unconscious on the deck. So, are you two friends of VK, or what?"

I stuttered. "W-what do you mean?"

The man, whom was dressed up like a professional wrestler, laughed. "Welcome to Silver Wing City! I'm Boris! If you three are trainers like Xero says, you'll have to stop by in Perchen City,-"

Alec cut in. "-Because you're the gym leader, right?"

The man took a step back. "Well, someone does their research."

The girl continued. "So, are you friends of VK's or what?"

VK sighed. "Jeez, Xero, give them a break. Just a few seconds ago, we thought we were captives of some criminal organization."

"That's why I had to go in. Pine told me you were heading over. I wanted to make sure you got the toughest welcome possible." Xero smiled.

Boris looked around as Xero untied us. After we were free, Boris spoke up. "Why don't I show you two around town? I think these two will be here for a while."

**Hooray! 'Action'! To think that my friends were hoping Boris would be a stereotypical Russian. Nope! How about 'luchadore'? Now who wants to beat the fourth gym? Expect a loooong conversation between VK and Xero, and- wait, VK isn't his real name?**

**VibraKnife - Looking for a way to slip a Matthew Patel joke into the story, always.**


	11. Chapter 10: Old Friendships

**VK-**

"So, what brings you to town, Vic?"

I glared at her. "VK."

"Yeesh, I must've caught you on a bad day? What's the matter? Manuel too easy for ya?"

I looked away.

"Look, eventually, you'll have to deal with it: We're all that's left."

"I don't care. If we're all that's left, than I have to beat you. I have to make it through with my promise."

"Victor-"

"It's VK, Xero."

"Whatever. Listen to me: you get to choose what you want to do. Don't let a stupid promise take hold of your life."

The promise I had made to a friend the last thing I remembered from the orphanage I grew up in. Xero and I were orphans, who lived in one of the houses in Gensinge. After Team Galactic attacked Sinnoh, they retreated to Miron, and forced us out of the orphanage. They tried killing everyone who could tell the authorities. We saw so many of our friends die that night. We had to promise to keep it a secret. I found a family in Mae Ven Town, and Xero just fought in Silver Wing City, eventually becoming a popular trainer and even the Gym Leader. We never saw each other again.

"It's over now. I heard that they were driven out by the police, anyways."

"I still have to do it."

"Well, talking about it will just make everything worse. So, who were those two?"

"Shadow and Alec. We all started our journeys on the same day."

"The three of you all being the exact same age? Why do I get the feeling that there's something wrong with this picture?"

"Well, I wanted a chance to battle Alec on day one, but he left before I had the chance. I had already asked the professor to help, and he did, so I got to battle Shadow instead."

"Shadow… where do I remember hearing that… Oh yeah! She was the kid who beat Manuel by forfeit!"

"Don't bring that up around her. That's the last thing she needs."

"Wow, that's pretty observant. How old are you again? 10? 12?"

"14."

"Jeez, I still don't understand why trainers here in the Morin region have to wait that long to go on a journey. Isn't the age requirement 10 in Kanto?"

"Yep."

"Wow… I suppose it has to do with maturity."

"Maybe…"

"Hey, enjoy your journey. Keep your friends close. If you need help, you know where I am."

"See you Shadow."

"See ya, Vi- Umm… See ya, VK."

**Well then… That was strange. I don't know if I hate Team Galactic, or hate the person who came up with the plot. ohwait… Anyways, VK and Shadow (and Alec, oh my!) are going to be heading to Gensinge. My friend Dedric (not his real name) the Pimp God will punish Alec for being a flat character!**

**Yes, the three of them are 14. Deal with it.**

**VibraKnife - It's 'Vibrant Knife', not 'Vibrate Knife'.**


	12. Chapter 11: The City of Chaos

**VK-**

For the first time since I had first met him, VK was smiling.

He walked away from Silver Wing City, beaming with happiness. Each step he took slowly caused that smile to turn into a frown. It was obvious by now that he didn't want to keep going.

The farther we walked, the worse it got. Alec marched ahead, determined to beat us to Gensinge, even if it was by a few seconds. Although the maps we had portrayed Route 4 as a long path, we were through in two hours.

Just outside of the town, a hooded figure jumped out at us and stopped us.

"Turn back now. It isn't safe here."

Alec continued walking.

"I don't think you heard me. I said: turn back now."

"I don't care. I know how dangerous Gensinge is. I'm here for my badge, and then Helios Gultch."

"What's so important about Helios Gultch?"

"Training. Tough Pokémon means better training."

The figure disappeared and reappeared a second later in front if Alec, who jumped and backed up.

"You aren't ready. Turn back."

This time, VK spoke up. "Hey, leave us alone. This is where the second gym badge is, right? That's all we want."

"I'm sorry, but I can't let that happen. The people ahead are waiting for you. I bet by now, they've given up. You just barely missed the chance to get your Pokémon stolen. Worse yet, you just missed your chance to get cut in half by a trained assassin. Still going to Gensinge?"

Alec and VK froze in fear. Suddenly, something about VK changed, and he seemed to be willing to fight to get into Gensinge.

"I am. If anyone's going to put a stop to this, it's me."

The figure chuckled. "Believe me, I've tried. It's of no use."

While the two of them were staring each other down (although we couldn't see the figure's face), I was thinking of a plan.

"How about we work together?"

VK, the figure, and I all turned to face Alec.

"It only makes sense. One person can't make a difference, but four people can try."

"You may have a point there… okay then."

The figure pulled off the cloak to reveal a seventeen-year-old boy.

"I'm Nick."

**Well, I finally got to include a friend into the story (although he's really not 17). I had to rewrite this, because the original version of this chapter was soooooo bad.**

**On a side note, for the chapters listed (I put what number chapter it was), evens are VK, odds are Shadow, and bimmys are Alec.**

**No one got that reference just now… much sad.**

**VibraKnife - Stills looking for that sneaky way of putting a Scott Pilgrim reference under your noses.**


	13. Chapter 12: The Church

**VK-**

Gensinge City. I'm actually a little ashamed. I used to live in this city, used to play in this city. It's nothing like I remembered it.

The buildings were all still there, but they were all worn down. Where the orphanage was lied a heaping pile of bricks and cement. In the church, people were carrying equipment in and out, and-

The church. Those people have the little 'E's on their hats, just like the people who attacked the boat.

I stopped the others, pointing at the church.

"Those guys look familiar?"

"Those look like-"

Alec cut Shadow off. "The people on the ship."

"Funny. Those guys were the ones waiting for you three."

With that, Nick disappeared.

"Look!"

Nick was running in at the people at the church. He was moving incredibly fast, and slipped through all of them with ease. He got to the woman at the top of the steps and pulled out a sword.

"Wha- Nick, wait for us!"

The three of us began to run towards the church, but got surrounded by a group of the thugs.

Nick disappeared again, reappearing in front of one of the thugs and hitting him with the hilt of his sword. He proceeded to take out the rest of the thugs.

The four of us all charged the church, with Nick in the lead, ready to attack the woman blocking the entrance.

That's when she pulled the sword out of his hand by the blade and snapped it in half like a twig. Nick went crashing through the doorway, revealing two others inside of the church.

"Well, that was rude."

Alec, Shadow, and I all got ready to battle, and were sending out our starter Pokémon.

"I'm not here for a fight. I'm here to do research."

Alec spoke up. "In a church? What are you going to find here?"

The woman glanced back before descending down the steps.

"We can't find something that isn't missing."

Nick called out from inside the church, stumbling outside as he spoke. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Helios Cavern. Follow us if you wish; you won't get anything out of it."

The two men inside the building ran out behind her. Neither of them looked like the others that had attacked us initially. The younger man turned to face us, before walking away.

**Well, hooray. Conflict. The last thing the characters need is conflict. It's pretty obvious by now that there will be no chase scene. On the bright side, you get to hear (erm… read…) Nick explain a few things.  
My toe hurts.**

**VibraKnife - tries unplugging it, and plugging it back in again.**


	14. Chapter 13: Team Esther

**Shadow-**

"Do we follow them, or wait?"

"We wait. Following them does nothing."

The four of us were inside the Pokémon center, talking about what had happened.

VK turned to look at Nick. "Do you know any of them?"

"They're some of the admins of Team Esther."

Alec jumped up. "The people who attacked the ship- they were working for those freaks?"

"Exactly."

"So, who were those three?"

"The girl's name is Sidney. Not exactly someone you want to mess with."

"Obviously. She broke your sword in half."

"Bionic arms. She was born without any arms, and through the advancements of technology, now she has two."

"And the two in the church?"

"The younger guy is Marcus. Real pain in the neck. I used to hang out with him, but he took his opportunity early and scored a big seat on the team."

"So… your friend's on Team Ether?"

"Esther. Yeah. As for the older gentleman, that was Jiro. I emphasize gentleman. He always gives his opponents a fair fight. He always wins. From what I've heard, he goes as far as tearing a person's heart out with his hand to punish those he's defeated."

An image flashed through my head of the old man tearing me in half. I shuddered.

"There's two others, although I only know of Mitchell. He's incredibly pompous. Won't stop until he gets what he wants. That's why she appointed him as head admin."

"She?"

"Jordan Lafeyette. The leader of Team Esther. I've been trying to track her down for a while now. Every time I think I'm close, she disappears, leaving one of the admins in her place."

"Lafeyette… wait a second…"

VK stood up from the table, and rushed over to the PC. The three of us followed him over. He was calling Xero.

**Well then. Jordan Lafeyette. The first character to have a first and last name (not counting Gary Oak).  
Team Esther. What are they up to? I guess no one knows. Oh, who am I kidding? You'll find out later. Just read on, my friends!**

**VibraKnife - Rocking out to Anamanaguchi. Deal with it.**


	15. Chapter 14: The Big Boss

**VK-**

The screen flashed for a few seconds before displaying Xero.

"Hey. What's up?"

"Do you remember someone named Lafeyette?"

Xero sighed.

"I thought I asked you to forget about that place."

"Thanks Xero."

"Wait, what do you mean th-"

I switched off the monitor and turned to the other three, all awaiting an explanation.

"Jordan was a member of Team Galactic. They were extremely good at disappearing when they needed to. That's how she always gets away."

Nick chuckled. "I guess that explains it. So, how are we going to find her?"

Alec turned and started walking out. "Beats me. We can't do anything now. I'm just going to get my gym badge. See you three later."

Nick looked at me and Shadow. "I guess you two need to get ready as well. Don't forget: Dedric uses Fire types. Keep type advantages in check."

**Short Chapterrrrrrrr…**

**Nick is pretty much their mentor by now. Whaddaya know? Anyways, yes, they will be fighting my good friend Deds next. If only he would tell me what his team is…**

**VibraKnife - Hounds Dedric Price for just about everything.**


	16. Chapter 15: The Lady's Man on Fire!

**Shadow-**

The two of us approached the gym, ready for anything. We hadn't seen Alec, but we were told that he had already left for Silver Wing City. Nick encourage the two of us to go alone, so we did.

We walked through the automatic doors of the gym and came face-to-face with a swarm of little girls. A door on the opposite side of the room opened, revealing the gym leader.

Dedric Price stood before us, beckoning us to the center of the room. The girls all walked over to him and stood by his side. Finally, the man spoke.

"So, you're here to challenge me?"

"Well-"

"Shut up. I was talking to _her_."

I stuttered. Why me? What was so special that he had to ask me?

"Umm… we're both here for a gym battle."

"Two at once? Now that seems a little unfair to a gym leader who only uses two Pokémon. Unless…"

The man paced back and forth before snapping his fingers and turning back to us.

"You two will each use one Pokémon in a double battle against me. Switch out, and you're disqualified."

"Is this really the gym? It seems a little plain."

"Oh really, _boy_? Well, all you had to do was ask."

At that exact moment, the room burst into flames, with everything except the circular platform we were standing on burning fiercely.

"Is that better? Alright then, choose your Pokémon. This is going to be fun."

Dedric tossed his head back in laughter. This was going to be a long fight.

**Oh Dedric, you really are hilarious, aren't you? Well, I doubt anyone was expecting a double battle. I'll be honest: not even I was prepared for it. I just went on a whim. Prepare yourselves for an epic battle of epic two-on-two proportions.**

**VibraKnife - If you catch my drift.**


	17. Chapter 16: Dual Flames!

**VK-**

"Alright then. Send 'em out. Let's see what you two can do."

"If you say so. Go, Zorua!"

The Pokèball flew out of my hand, revealing the Pokémon. Shadow stepped up.

"Riolu, let's go!"

"Riolu and Zorua? I suppose you newbs would do that. Well then, time to clear the field!"

He tossed out two Pokémon: a Ponyta, and a Torkoal. He was taking an attack/defense method, similar to most double battlers.

Xero nodded. "You wanna take the Ponyta?"

"Got it."

Dedric glared at us. "Your move."

"Zorua, Bite!"  
"Riolu, use Tackle!"

The battle was on. Dedric was much tougher than Manuel, using Torkoal to attack from a distance and Ponyta to attack up front.

"Torkoal, use Flamethrower!"

"Zorua, to your left! That Ponyta's about to use Flame Charge!"

The Ponyta rushed by, burning white. Zorua got out of the way easily.

"Wha- how!?"

"Too predictable. You have your Pokémon attacking based on certain commands."

"What makes a beginner like you think you suddenly know everything?"

I didn't want to say it out loud, but Dedric was pushing my patience.

"I heard your Ponyta respond."

Dedric and Shadow both stopped giving commands. The Pokémon all seemed confused as well, except for Zorua, who was familiar with the concept by now.

"Thank you for that stopping. Zorua, you know what to do from here!"

Zorua nodded, and created an illusion. It appeared as though it had used Double Team, surrounding the two fire types although I could see past it.

"How- never mind! Flamethrower, both of you!"

Dedric's Pokémon nervously began breathing a hot fire at each of the Pokémon around them, only for the illusion to continue walking through the flames.

"Bite!"

The illusion shattered, and Zorua hit Torkoal from behind, knocking it out quickly.

"Shadow, now!"

"Riolu, Focus Punch!"

Riolu charged towards the Ponyta and slugged it with as much force as it seemed it could, sending it flying across the room- right over the flames. Dedric just barely had enough time to return it to its Pokèball.

"Jeez, you two could've warned me! Well, what's done is done. I suppose you deserve your badges. Take it; it is yours, after all."

Shadow and I both returned our Pokémon, and collected our badges. We began to walk out, when Dedric stopped us.

"Wait! I think you two should head to Helios Gultch. Wits will only take you so far. You're gonna need to toughen up, and soon."

"I don't think it's safe there…"

"Nonsense! It's only as dangerous as you make it!"

Shadow and I looked at each other, before walking out of the building.

**Suspense is at an all time low. Is there any way I can make it up to? A challenge, perhaps?  
What I'm getting at is that I challenge you all to see who will get the fabled 50th review. I may just include them in the Christmas special I'm writing. I'm going for 5,000+ words for the Christmas Special, and there will be a ton of cameos. Can we do it? (Who am I kidding?)**

**Special thanks to IchigoHatake for helping me with the battle. :D**

**VibraKnife - Santa has a Delibird, if you forumers catch my drift.**


	18. Chapter 17: The Hooded Man's Secret

**Shadow-**

After leaving Dedric, we were told to go train at Helios Gultch, against Nick's request. VK wanted to just go and tell Nick after we had trained, but I stopped by the Pokémon Center anyways.

"So, got the badge?"

I pulled out the badge, and flashed it to Nick before storing it in my badge case.

"Great. Let's head to Silver Wing then."

"Dedric said we should train down at Helios Gultch."

Nick stood up, glanced at VK through the window, and finally looked at me.

"If Dedric says so, let's be quick. Don't forget who's down there."

Nick joined along, and after a while of training, VK and I were just about ready to leave.

VK turned to Nick. "Hey, so why don't you do some training?"

"They work hard enough that they deserve to rest."

VK and I looked at each other, when the sound of gunshots caused all three of us to look at the source.

It was Marcus, the one Admin from the church.

"Sidney warned you, Nick. Is there any reason for you to be here? Is there any reason for you to put your life at risk?"

"Dedric suggested it."

"The man's a fool, trying to get you three killed. Be lucky that I'm on patrol, not Sidney. We both know just how much she wants to tear your throat out."

VK and I began backing away, slowly. Nick pulled out a sword, most likely a replacement to the one that had been broken.

"Do you remember the old saying, 'Don't bring a knife to a gun fight'?"

"I thought it was, 'Don't bring a gun to a ghost fight'."

Out of nowhere, a Dusknoir appeared, restraining the Admin. Nick reached for another Pokèball, and sent out a Froslass. The Froslass floated in front of the face of Marcus, who was clearly terrified. Froslass began glowing.

_"We were never here. When I return my Pokémon, you will fall asleep. After ten minutes, you will wake up and tell Jordan that the area is secure. Goodbye, Marcus."_

Both of Nick's Pokémon disappeared, and shortly afterwards, Marcus passed out.

"You two, let's get out of here. I've had enough of Team Esther for one day."

**Oh crap. Psychological stuff. Hypnotism. Nick, just what're you up to? (Other than some very sneaky things, clearly.)  
Next chapter will be showing up VERY SOON. Trust me.**

**VibraKnife - Gun to a ghost fight. Pfft.**


	19. Chapter 18: No Escape

**VK-**

We were so close… We almost made it… They were waiting for us…

* * *

I awoke with a gasp. Clearly, I was tied up, but the blindfold was missing, and the room was charred. This wasn't another one of Xero's pranks.

I tried to gather my surroundings, but the room was too dark. It didn't seem like I would be able to get out of here.

I heard a door open from behind me. A police officer walked in, wearing a bloodied outfit. He picked up a gun, and pointed it at my head.

"So, you were down by Helios Cavern, huh? Looks like that trick your friend pulled didn't work."

I was shaking. The last thing I remembered was the Pokémon center.

"Tell me, do you know where this is?"

My mind raced. Helios Cavern was the only logical thought.

"You see, we are in Hell."

The room was silent. The officer put the gun in its holster and sat in the chair across from me.

"Rather, that's what we call it. Society calls it the police station."

I sighed in relief.

"I am not your ally. You were at Helios. Are you a part of Team Esther?"

"That excuse for a criminal organization?"

The man slammed his hands on the table separating us.

"We aren't an excuse. We are a message."

I froze again.

"Did you really think I was an officer? What a shame. Now no one will know of your death."

"W-what?!"

"Did I stutter? I believe I was quite clear."

He drew the gun once again.

"Farewell. Tell the Devil that Mitchell says 'Hello'."

Just then, the building shook.

"What? Don't tell me that they're heading off without me. No matter. We will continue this outside."

He untied me, and then put me in a choke hold.

"Do as I say, or all you will be hearing is your skull shattering."

He walked me outside. The sun was harsh, but eventually I could see what had happened. The city was in ruins.

Buildings were toppled, the streets were empty, and there were bodies everywhere. Streets were burning. Mitchell kept repeating himself.

"This is our message."

We arrived in Helios Gultch. He was still mumbling about 'their message'. The ground shook again, and Mitchell lost his balance, letting me free. I ran as fast as I could away from Helios Gultch. There were gunshots coming from behind me.

"You can't hide! We will find you! We always know where you are, VK!"

I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I didn't recall telling him my name. I didn't tell him anything about me.

"Get away! Enjoy your freedom whilst you can! Soon, everyone will kneel to Team Esther!"

**Hot damn. Much more than I had intended. Well, it looks like there's an informant. Oh, and Gensinge is destroyed. I told you guys you'd be getting your next chapter. I just didn't tell you guys that people would die.**

**What has become of Shadow and Nick? How did Team Esther get away with a stunt this big? Why is Alec so boring? Most of these questions will be answered soon…  
No Alec, though.  
VibraKnife - Catch ALL the drifts!**


	20. Chapter 19: The PVT

**Quick request: I'm going to be putting P.O.V. at the top of all of the chapters, including the old ones. This gives me a chance to write with more unique P.O.V. that I couldn't have before. Enjoy!**

**VK-**

After checking my ear, I sighed in relief. They hadn't taken it.

While roaming with Xero, I got interested in inventing my own machines. We came across a man in his late twenties, talking about a device that could let people talk to Pokémon. Neither of us knew he was an escaped criminal. All we knew was that the man's name was Colress.

I stopped him and asked him a few questions about the idea. After answering, he mentioned that "he and I were a lot alike," and simply left without another word. It was strange. Then again, I was 8 when it happened. Not a whole lot made sense back then. All I knew was that I wanted to be able to talk to Pokémon.

Finally, after six years, I had finished my device. The "Pokémon Vocal Translator", or PVT for short. I had made a legitimate way to communicate with Pokémon, and was just waiting to do some field testing. My chance finally came on my fourteenth birthday.

When I walked into the lab, I only heard three voices: Professor Oak, and two of the three starter Pokémon. I couldn't hear Zorua. It was distancing itself from the others. I could tell from the look it bore that it had been forgotten. No one had cared for it other than Gary, and it was simply out of a requirement for his job.

I chose Zorua out of guilt. I felt a mix of emotions. I could tell that I had crushed the Riolu's pride by leaving it for last, but I simply had to choose Zorua. In a strange way, it had reminded me of the way Xero had constantly been left out when it came to the orphanage.

My thoughts switched to my Pokémon. I didn't have my Pokèballs, meaning that they were either in the city, or with Team Esther. I began a mad dash to the Pokémon Center.

Once arriving, I peered into the building. It was empty, save a picture of me propped up next to two Pokèballs. I stepped inside, only to get hit in the head by a wooden plank.

"Get out of here, you- wait a second… you're that kid!"

**Back storee. The storee for backs of stories.  
Backstory.  
Get it?  
*cries in corner softly*  
Alrighty. SOMEONE hit VK. They recognise him. My British English is kicking in. Mien Got!  
Oh, and I may or may not he alluding to the idea that Colress is involved with the madness of the story.**

**VibraKnife - I referenced PewDiePie somewhere in this chapter. Tell me where and I might give you a hypothetical brofist.**


	21. Chapter 20: Short-Lived Reunion

**VK-**

I woke up on a bench, staring up at the ceiling. A boy was patching me up. The back of my head was warm and wet with blood.

"Hey, rise and shine! I got you pretty hard there!"

I sat up and looked at him.

"Ah, I suppose I should introduce myself. I'm Kobi, the Fursan City Gym Leader. That guy over there in the corner is V, the Wirwin City Gym Leader."

I glanced at the boy in the corner. They both seemed to be around Nick's age.

I began to speak. "Where am I?"

The boy in the corner, V, opened his mouth. "You could've called it Gensinge once. Not much of a towering city, if you ask me."

Kobi glanced V, and looked at me. "Ya see, we were called out by Dedric. A, 'Gym Leader Meeting', or something of the sort. We were caught up in the destruction, and found some kid with a bullet hole in his leg here inside the PC. We have him back in one of the emergency rooms resting. He had a picture of you, and said that those two Pokèballs were yours."

"Did he tell you his name? Anything at all?"

V walked out of the shaded corner. "He said his name was Nick."

Kobi led me to a small room, where Nick was laying. There was no getting around it: one of the admins put a bullet in his leg and left him to die. I turned to Kobi.

"Where did you learn any of that, anyways?"

"Basic survival. If you can take care of yourself, taking care of others is easy."

"You can say that again."

V appeared out of nowhere. "Don't take our decision to help you lightly. We don't need someone screwing up everything."

Kobi shot V a glare. "Doesn't get along well with others. He gets better when you get to know him."

"If you hadn't insisted, I would have ignored Dedric's stupid request."

"Oh, and he hates Dedric. And the Estrada City Gym Leader, whoever he or she is. I really don't know. Only he and Dedric do."

I looked back at Nick. "You think he's okay?"

"Judging by the bullet hole, I'm pretty sure it'll take a while. Who knows? Maybe he'll just walk it off. He seemed to be able to survive the impact."

Nick's eyes flickered open. "What the hell… where am I now?"

"Calm down, man. You're still at the Pokémon Center. We found your friend. Rather, he found us. All we did was hit him with a piece of wood."

Nick sat up, cringing from the pain in his leg.

"Take it easy. The last thing you need is to pass out."

V shrugged. "It isn't like it bothers me at all."

Nick and V met each other's gaze, both icy cold.

"Good to see you, Nicklaus. Nice to know that what doesn't kill you really does make you stronger."

"Can it, V. I don't need any crap from you. Hey, you, is there any way out of the city? I have to- no, VK and I have to find a friend of ours."

Kobi looked at me in shock. "Wait… you're VK? The Estrada Gym Leader sent out an 'anonymous' letter saying to look out for you. Nice to meet you, I suppose."

He put his arm out for a fist bump. The room was quiet.

"C'mon man. Meet me halfway."

**Nick wakes up just as VK asks if he'll be okay? PLOT CONVENIENCE :D**

**Nice to see everything getting better for VK. He found Nick, made two (one, perhaps) new friend(s), and even survived taking a 2x4 to the head.**

**Yes, I know both new characters in real life. Hell, one of the new characters is a really good friend of mine. The two of us, as well as Esther Admin Marcus, make up the three cofounders of a top-secret production group. I might tell you more in the future.**

**VibraKnife - Makes more delicious sandwiches than I Am Darkrai, any day.**


	22. Chapter 21: Rescue Attempt

**Shadow:**

I let my three Pokémon out. Riolu, Misdreavus, and my new Pokémon, Tranquill.

"Alright, you three. We have to find VK and Nick as soon as possible. Let's go."

Tranquill soared above the city as Riolu, Misdreavus, and I searched the ground. Finally, we came across the Pokémon center. There was a picture of VK laying on the ground.

I called down Tranquill and returned it to its Pokèball, not wanting it to be uncomfortable in the inside of the building. As my Pokémon and I entered the building, we found a 2x4 on the ground, bloodied. The picture of VK had been knocked aside. Two Pokèballs were laying on the main counter, presumably VK's.

A boy about Nick's age walked out into the room. He looked at me, and then at my Pokémon. Riolu glared at the boy, who sent out a Heracross. Another boy ran into the room.

"Huh? V, what's going on? Wait a minute… Shadow?"

I took another look at the other boy who had run into the room. That's when it hit me.

Kobi looked me over again. "Jeez, I guess we've all been through hell. How's it been? How's the road treating you?"

"Good. I made a few friends."

Kobi chuckled. "So I've heard. You know, I could've sworn I saw two people looking for you."

My mind snapped to VK and Nick. "Do you know where they are?"

Kobi chuckled once more. "Do I know? They're right inside this building, safe and sound. Granted, one of them has a bullet wound, but they're fine otherwise."

I stood up. "Can I see them? Last I talked to either of them, we had just barely gotten away from certain death."

"Why not? I won't stop you."

He showed me to VK and Nick, both of whom were sleeping quietly.

"We found Nick on the floor of the main room. Bullet wound, through the flesh. Didn't hit any bones or puncture any muscle, but it grazed his leg, leaving quite a mark. VK, however, was my fault. He ran in here so fast that I thought he was trying to steak the Pokèballs. I kind of put a dent in his head with a wooden plank."

**Yes. Everyone is together again.  
I'm starting to think that Nick passing out from a bullet grazing his leg is really lame, but hey, IT'S JUST A THEORY.**

**VibraKnife - A GAME THEORY :DDDDDDDD**


End file.
